Automatic drive-in store

ABSTRACT

An automatic drive-in store structure having in its upper portion a warehouse for storing a multiplicity of diverse retail items within individual dispenser units, and in its lower portion a plurality of parking stalls for vehicles, each stall being provided with a console control apparatus which is equipped with a plurality of item selector panels for use by a motorist whereby a selective list of retail items may be ordered and thence dispensed from the respective dispenser unit responsive to electronic control means and delivered through a system of conveyors to the automobile; said console control apparatus also being supplied with a closed circuit television which is in circuit with a video camera for transmitting a picture of a selected item onto a television screen, and a moneychanger unit which returns the correct change after registering the amount submitted and subtracting the total price of the items selected.

United States Patent Alexander et al.

[ 1 Mar. 7, 1972 [54] AUTOMATIC DRIVE-IN STORE [72] lnventors: GilbertL. Alexander, Bloomington, 111.;

[22] Filed:

Arthur W. Neaville; William A. Maylield, both of Webster Groves, Mo.;Gilbert L. Alexander, 1114 E. Taylor Street, Bloomington, 111. 61701;Arthur W. Neaville, 912 S. Rock Hill Road; William A. Mayfield, 813 N.Forest, both of Webster Groves, M0. 631 19 Dec. 31, 1969 [21] Appl. No.:889,502

3,541,309 11/1970 Cutter ..186/l.2

Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Homsby Attorney-Robert J. Eck

[57] ABSTRACT An automatic drive-in store structure having in its upperportion a warehouse for storing a multiplicity of diverse retail itemswithin individual dispenser units, and in its lower portion a pluralityof parking stalls for vehieles,each stall being provided with a consolecontrol apparatus which is equipped with a plurality of item selectorpanels for use by a motorist whereby a selective list of retail itemsmay be ordered and thence dispensed from the respective dispenser unitresponsive to electronic control means and delivered through a system ofconveyors to the automobile; said console control apparatus also beingsupplied with a closed circuit television which is in circuit with avideo camera for transmitting a picture of a selected item onto atelevision screen, and a moneychanger unit which returns the correctchange after registering the amount submitted and subtracting the totalprice of the items selected.

16 Claims, 59 Drawing Figures PATENTEBHAR 1 I972 SHEET 0211f 26 ATTORNEYPATENTEDMAR 7 I972 3.647, 028

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PATENTEDMAR 7 I972 SHEET 17UF 26 fu $532 xdoa ruin in .545 viommnuiZooN? OE ATTORNEY PAIENIEDMAR 7 I972 .SHEET 19UF 26 INVENTORS GILBERT L.ALEXA A ARTHUR W. NEAVI 8. WI AM A. MAYFI BY W ATTORN

1. An automatic drive in store comprising means defining a structure;said structure having a delivery zone having at least one parking stalllocated at a distance remote from said product storage zone and aproduct storage zone; a supply of various types of products within saidstructure product storage zone; a plurality of dispensers in saidproduct storage zone for each type product; release means operativelyengaged to each product dispenser; a console control unit located insaid delivery zone; product selector means located on said consolecontrol unit; conveyor means communicating each dispenser with theconsole control unit in said delivery zone; and electronic control meanshoused within said console control unit for effecting actuation of saidrelease means responsive to the operation of said product selector meansto dispense selected products onto said conveyor means and to transportthe selected products to said delivery zone; said electronic controlmeans including product recording means; price recording and tabulatingmeans; currency reading and accepting means for accepting currencytoward payment of said selected products; said currency reader andacceptor means including a credit registering means for maintaining acumulative total of currency received; currency change return means forreturning the difference between the total price of the selectedproducts and the credit registered; and means releasing said productrecording means after payment has been made and the change returnedthereby actuating selected dispenser release means.
 2. The combinationas defined in claim 1 and further characterized by one of saiddispensors comprising an endless track mounted on an incline within saidstructure, upper and lower rails on said track presented in alignedspaced apart relationship; a plurality of articulated trolleys ridingwithin said upper and lower rails around the perimeter of said track;and an arm pivotally mounted to each trolley; a guide bar mounted tosaid structure spacedly, axially parallel to said track; each arm ofsaid trolley slideably engaging said guide bar; said product supplyincluding a plurality of bag products; said bag product having aperturemeans for slideably receiving same over each arm; said release meanscomprising a detent positioned in abutment with the free end of saidguide bar; actuator means connected to said detent for alternativelyremoving and returning said detent responsive to said electronic controlmeans whereby upon removal of said detent, said arm will fall by gravityfor dispensing a bag product upon said conveyor means.
 3. Thecombination as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by saiddispensers being prearranged in rows; said conveyor means including afirst conveyor located spacedly below each dispenser row to receivedispensed products; a second conveyor disposed in downwardly parallelrelationship with each first conveyor and normally moving in an oppositedirection than said first conveyor; a third conveyor disposed in axialnormal relationship in a plane located between said first and secondconveyors communicating each of said first conveyors with said secondconveyor; and means for channeling the dispensed products traveling onsaid second conveyor to the delivery zone.
 4. The combination as definedin claim 3 and further characterized by said channeling means comprisinga delivery chute having end portions, one end portion of said deliverychute being pivotally connected to said structure in immediate adjacencyto said second conveyor; the other end portion of said delivery chutebeing movably mounted on said console control unit.
 5. The combinationas defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said productselecting means comprising a plurality of leaves hingedly mounted onsaid console control unit; each of said leaves having a front and rearpanel portion; product indicia means for each product disposed on saidfront and rear panel portions; a contact button located adjacent eachproduct indicia means; circuit means connecting each contact button tosaid electronic control means whereby upon engagement of each buttoncorresponding release means will be actuated for discharging theselected product onto said conveyor means.
 6. The combination as definedin claim 1 and further characterized by one of said dispenserscomprising a downwardly inclined rack; said product supply including aplurality of cylindrical products provided in said rack; said releasemeans comprising a body having a downwardly opening arcuate portionpresented upwardly of said rack and formed on substantially the sameradius as said cylindrical products; a rounded leading edge formedintegrally with said arcuate portion for normally retaining saidcylindrical products within said rack; a rounded trailing edge formedintegrally with said arcuate portion presented overlyingly of thelowermost cylindrical product and adapted for forcibly ejecting thelowermost cylindrical product onto said conveyor means and maintainingthe immediately adjacent cylindrical products within said rack; anextension having upper and lower end portions, the lower end portionbeing integrally formed with said arcuate portion and the upper endportion projecting upwardly of said arcuate portion; means providedintermediate said upper and lower end portions for rockably mountingsaid extension; actuator means connected to the upper end portion ofsaid extension for effecting rockable movement of said body responsiveto energization of said electronic control means; said actuator meansoperating to swing said leading edge of said arcuate portion away fromsaid rack, and the trailing edge into forcible engagement against thelowermost cylindrical product for ejecting same and into engagementagainst the immediately adjacent cylindrical product for maintainingsame within said rack.
 7. The combination as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid stall is defined by parallel spaced apart walls; there being anopening within one of said stall walls; a console control unit disposedwithin said opening and said product selector means located on saidconsole control unit.
 8. The combination as defined in claim 8 andfurther characterized by said console control unit comprising a mobilelower frame; means for alternatively extending and retracting said lowerframe for projecting console control unit into and away from said stall;an upper frame movably mounted on said lower frame for movement normalto the movement of the latter; and means for effecting forward andrearward movement of said upper frame within said stall when said lowerframe is in an extended position.
 9. The combination as defined in claim8 and further characterized by said means for alternatively extendingand retracting said mobile lower frame comprising a fluid cylinder;first switch means for effecting extension of said cylinder to projectsaid console control unit within said stall; second switch meansprovided on said console control unit for stopping the extension of saidcontrol unit at a predetermined location; actuator means on said consolefor moving said upper frame forwardly and rearwardly within said stall;third switch means for energizing said actuator means for adjusting theposition of said upper frame relative to said lower frame.
 10. Thecombination as defined in claim 7 and further characterized by a closedcircuit television system comprising a tElevision screen mounted on saidconsole unit; a plurality of television cameras provided within saidstructure proximate predetermined product dispensors; first circuitmeans connecting said television camera and said television screen;product indicia means for each product disposed on said product selectormeans; a contact button located adjacent each product indicia means,second circuit means connecting each contact button with the relatedtelevision camera whereby upon engagement of a contact button thepicture of said product will be presented on said television screen. 11.The combination as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by saidmeans for change returning means comprising: a plurality of spoolsrotatably mounted within said console; a roll of sheet material woundaround each spool; each roll having a plurality of pockets formedtherein, said pockets containing a predetermined unit of paper money;means for advancing said roll a distance slightly greater than thelength of a pocket; a knife blade mounted within said console in thepath of each roll; circuit means for simultaneously energizing said rolladvancing means and elevating said knife blade upon closing, anddeenergizing said roll advancing means and permitting said knife to fallby gravity upon opening to sever a pocket; a chute having a dischargeend for receiving severed pockets; a retractable drawer in said consoleunit in communication with said chute discharge end for receiving saidpocket.
 12. The combination as defined in claim 1 and furthercharacterized by said change returning means comprising a plurality ofcoin tubes; a mounting block having recesses for receiving the lower endof each coin tube; said block having a transverse slot in the regionbelow each coin tube; each slot being substantially the same height asthe coin denomination dispensed; a retractable drawer mounted withinsaid console immediately beneath said coin tubes; a plurality ofplungers, each having a length for extension into and through a relatedtransverse slot; and solenoid operated means for alternatively extendingand retracting selected plungers to dispense a coin into saidretractable drawer.
 13. The combination as defined in claim 7 andfurther characterized by said structure having a plurality oftransversely spaced apart stalls, a plurality of product dispensorsmounted within said structure storage zone spacedly above said stall andin longitudinally spaced-apart rows; said conveyor means comprising aplurality of minor endless conveyor belts moving longitudinally in onedirection; said minor conveyor belts being presented spacedly below therelated rows of product dispensors to receive dispensed products; amajor conveyor belt moving in a longitudinally opposite direction ofsaid minor conveyor; at least one feeder conveyor disposed transverselywithin said structure being positioned to deliver products travelling onsaid minor conveyors to said major conveyor; means for channelling thedispensed products traveling along said major conveyor to apredetermined stall.
 14. The combination as defined in claim 13 andfurther characterized by said channeling means comprising a plurality ofdelivery chute means, one end of each chute means being pivotallyconnected to said structure in immediate proximity with said majorconveyor; the other end of the respective chute means extendingdownwardly from said major conveyor belt within the related stall; gatemeans provided within said structure adjacent each chute means forselectively directing the products traveling along the major conveyor topredetermined delivery chute means for delivery to the related parkingstall.
 15. The combination as defined in claim 14 and furthercharacterized by said electronic control means including circuit meansfor energizing a preselected gate means for directing dispensed productsto the related stall.
 16. The combination as defined in claim 4 andfurther characterized by gate means mounted within said strucTure at theconveyor adjacent end portion of said delivery chute for swingablemovement between delivery chute occluding position and conveyoroccluding position; said electronic control means including circuitmeans for energizing said gate means into said conveyor occludingposition for directing the products traveling on said second conveyorinto said delivery chute.